PO233 - Core Issues in Comparative Politics

Module content and teaching

Principal aims

In short, the aims of the module are: *To introduce students to the methodological and theoretical foundations of comparative approaches to political science; *To deepen their knowledge in a number of relevant areas of comparative political research; *To analyze and compare some of the current political developments in different countries around the world; *To think like comparativists, and –eventually- to get students to DO research in comparative politics; *To combine theory and practice, and integrating big themes and country case studies.

Principal learning outcomes

Understand the core concepts, theories and methodologies in comparative politics; *Read and comment classic books and journal articles in the field; *Describe national political systems and their essential elements; *Make critical evaluations of differences between national political systems; *Critically apply the theoretical literature to practical examples; *Gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources; *Identify, investigate, analyse, formulate and advocate solutions to problems; *Evaluate research material in a critical way; *Written and oral presentation of information, of results of quantitative and qualitative studies, in an appropriate way; Make a short film related to ‘democracy’, which is a core concept in the discipline of comparative politics; *Develop and present own research projects within the discipline of comparative politics.

Timetabled teaching activities

The module is taught through a combination of a weekly one-hour lecture and a compulsory one-hour seminar in terms 1 and 2.